When you least expect it
by raining.in.adelaide
Summary: As soon as Kozmotis Pitchiner starts his shore leave he's told he is to start a new assignment the next day. He's a workaholic but still, it's very annoying. He's to be taught magical defense by Nicholas St North. His first challenge is to get to the North Pole: to cross an icy wasteland and survive attacks from yetis, falls from bridges and an encounter with a rather attractive


Captain Pitchiner steps out of the transport and gives a sigh of relief.

He's home. It's been twelve long months but finally he's back on solid ground, with nothing to do for the next month but watch television and relax. It'll never last, of course – he's too much of a workaholic to go a whole month without working – but the first week at least will be full of doing nothing.

His first officer, Nightlight, tilts his head back and looks up at the beautiful blue sky with a smile, then turns to Koz.

"So what're you going to do with your first day of freedom?"

"Shower, first. A real shower, not the bloody sonic things you get on the ship."

Nightlight nods; anyone who's spent any amount of time on a star clipper knows the joy of the first real shower after arriving planetside.

Throwing his bag over a shoulder, Nightlight says, "Want to go for a drink later?"

"Good god yes," Koz says; a real pint is going to be almost as good as the shower.

A booming, familiar voice breaks into their conversation. "Is that before or after you prepare for your trip to the Pole?"

Both of them spin on the spot, coming to attention and saluting.

"General Shalazar, sir," Koz says, and wonders why on earth the general would be here; and then the words sink in. "The Pole?"

"I've told you, Kozmotis, call me Ombric. And yes, the North Pole. You're going to train with Nicholas St North. It was all detailed in the communique."

"What?" Koz blinks at him, then stands straighter, trying not to wince at the lack of respect in his response. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, sir. We didn't receive a communique."

"Hmm," General Shalazar says, stroking his beard. "We have been getting some interference from solar flares recently. You'd better come with me."

He turns to walk away and Koz throws a desperate look at Nightlight who gives a helpless shrug.

"I guess I'll take a raincheck on that drink, sir."

Twenty-four hours later, Koz is standing at the North Pole.

Everything is snow and ice and _white_, blindingly white. He pulls on a pair of tinted goggles and that makes it a little more bearable. It's undeniably beautiful, but he can't help thinking it would be even more beautiful if he was looking at it through a window while lounging beside a roaring fire. You know, what with him supposedly being on leave and all.

He sighs and his breath blossoms white in the frozen air. He's trying not to be bitter about this; it's not as though he would have used the whole month's leave. Not to mention that this is undeniably an honour.

When Ombric took Koz to his office, he explained that Nicholas St North has agreed to teach him defence against magic. North is one of the most powerful wizards in the galaxy, and with the fearlings growing in power and number, the Constellations need to start teaching non-magic users how to defend against them. It's an excellent idea, and Koz will be able to pass on the information to the rest of his crew.

However he's already beginning to suspect that Nicholas St North has a terrible sense of humour. Despite the highest generals of the military arranging for this, North said that he would only teach Koz if he could make it from the landing site to his study using only the most basic of climbing tools. And no weapons.

No weapons, which Koz takes to mean that there's every possibility that he'll be in a situation where he _needs_ weapons.

He sighs again.

From his high vantage point, Koz can see his goal clearly: a huge red building on the opposite cliff, onion-domed and ornate. Below, an ice bridge stretches across the canyon. It's terribly exposed and in any other situation Koz would look for another option, but there aren't any. Either he gets across before nightfall and gets his training, or he fails and-

Well. Koz doesn't like to fail.

He shrugs off his backpack and unloads the equipment he'll need to rappel down to the bridge: ice screws, carabiners, rope. He already has sharp-spiked crampons attached to his boots to help him grip the ice and a harness around his waist. The cold is vicious but he steadfastly ignores it, concentrating on one thing at a time to occupy his mind. First, securing the ice screw and placing a back-up. Second, attaching all the ropes and caribiners, a slow, methodical process that needs double- and triple-checking.

By the time he starts his descent he's too busy concentrating to spend time thinking about the cold.

He's used to rock climbing, but he's never done ice climbing before. He goes slowly, carefully, so intent on what he's doing that he isn't paying any attention to anything further away that the ice in front of him.

Which is why he's taken by surprise.

The instant his feet touch the bridge, he's ambushed. It happens before he can take anything in and he moves on pure instinct, ducking away. He's still attached to the rope so he uses that, using it to haul himself up to get a better vantage point.

It's a yeti. One of North's companions. Koz has done some reading in the scant time he had before coming here – they're fierce warriors, steadfastly loyal. It has no weapons but when it has the strength of five men and wicked-looking claws three inches long that's kind of a moot point.

A plan forms in his mind. Using his position on the rope to give him added momentum, Koz runs along the wall and tries to strike the yeti, but a powerful swing with one huge fist sends Koz flying backwards, and he only stops when he jams the axe into the ice, bringing him to a jarring halt and wrenching his shoulder.

With his shoulder throbbing, he clambers further up the wall and tries to make another plan of attack, but the yeti starts to follow. Huge, powerful claws make easy work of the climb. Open mouthed, Koz stares down and starts cursing colourfully.

What kind of bloody test _is_ this?

Clenching his jaw, he thrusts the axe into the wall, puts his weight on it and digs his crampons into the ice as hard as he can to keep him in place as he unbuckles the rope from his harness. Wrapping it around his forearm, he mutters a prayer to any deities that happen to be listening.

Dragging the axe out of the wall makes his shoulder throb and his vision grey, but he pushes it all aside and swings for the yeti. It makes a startled noise and raises its hand defensively, but Koz's swing takes him lower, beneath its feet. Jamming the ice axe into the wall, he wraps the rope around the yeti's ankles firmly. Before it can react, he knots it tightly and lowers himself as quickly as he can.

Leaving the yeti struggling to undo the knot, Koz races across the ice as quickly and carefully as he can.

He's almost at the arch leading into the opposite cliff when he's knocked off his feet.

Looking up, he sees another yeti. Natives of this land, their pale fur is excellent camouflage and they excel at waiting, motionless. Koz gets his axe up just in time to block a blow from its mighty paw, though it jars his injured shoulder and he cries out in pain.

Wounded and exhausted, he needs to end this soon. His mind is a blank on just how to do that, and before he can think of a plan, he hears the slight sound of yeti-paw on snow. He rolls out of the way just in time to avoid an attack from a second yeti.

Rolling to his feet, Koz's lips thin. One yeti alone is the equivalent of fighting five men; two will make this very difficult.

Still, Koz is good at beating the odds.

In addition to researching the yetis before coming here, the first fight helped him put some of that academic learning into perspective. Their reach is far beyond Koz's, as is their strength. They are light on their feet. Warrior yetis like these, are excellent fighters, dedicated and focused. The only advantage Koz has over them is speed and he has to use that.

Using his ice axe and crampons as impromptu weapons, he darts in and jabs at the yetis. The points only just makes it through their thick fur, but it does enough and the yeti he's hit jerks back with a roar.

Koz rushes for the other one, and blood stains its white fur. He's fairly certain that since this is a test the yetis will give in before anyone is seriously injured, but will it be soon enough? The cold is sapping his strength at an alarming rate.

A few more attacks and then one of them swings a paw up in defence. The force of it sends Koz tumbling.

For a second all he can see is sky...

...and then he's falling.

Everything is stuttering moments: spinning uncontrollably in the air; the cold of the ice as his body slams against the side of the bridge; a stab of agony in his leg when a sharp chunk of ice tears through his trousers; the wrench in his shoulder as he gets the axe into the ice.

Breathing hard, clinging to the side of the bridge, Koz closes his eyes and tries to stop shaking. When the panic starts to ebb away, he steadfastly does not look down; he looks up instead. Right overhead he can see the moon, pale in the cloudless blue sky. The surface is a long way up, and taking a deep breath, Koz starts the climb. He goes slowly, carefully, driving the ice axes hard into the wall and making sure his crampons are well embedded with each step.

One of the yetis looks over the edge and Koz glares up at him. This is hopeless - even if he gets to the top of the bridge, they'll ambush him and it'll all be for naught.

Unless he can distract them.

Koz's grin grows, slow and mean.

Holding onto the ice axe for dear life, he reaches behind him and slides a hand into his backpack. Above, the yeti makes a rumbled series of noises and the other comes to look over the edge as well.

Perfect.

In one movement, Koz brings his hand around and fires the flare gun he's grabbed. He looks away and squeeze his eyes shut. When the yetis both roar in pain, Koz clears the last five feet onto the bridge. By the time he makes the surface everything is aching and stiff, and his thigh is screaming in pain. He rolls onto his back on the ice, his breath white clouds, and looks down at his leg.

There's a huge tear in the fabric from knee to waist and everything is covered in blood. Koz shrugs off his backpack and pulls out the first aid kit. Dry-swallowing painkillers, he wraps a bandage around his thigh in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Not that there's much of it; because it's so cold out here, it's numbing the pain and restricting blood flow. When he gets into the buildings he'll _really_ know about it.

Of course, he has to get to the buildings first.

The yetis are blinking and shaking their heads, trying to clear their vision. Koz forces himself to his feet before they can react and half-drags himself into the tunnel at the end of the bridge, using his ice axe as a crutch. The schematics that he saw suggested that this network of tunnels should take him directly to the main building; as long as he doesn't run into any more yetis, this is doable.

Apart from the steadily growing pain, there are no further obstacles, and Koz is starting to think he might actually manage this without further difficulty.

Even without any complications, by the time he makes it up the steps of the palace he is exhausted, almost ready to drop. But he has come so far; he cannot give up yet.

Stepping into the hallway he rests a moment, leaning against the wall and catching his breath.

He pushes himself up, startled, when he realises someone has been watching him.

It's a young man with brown hair and eyes, and a mischievous grin skipping over his lips; Koz gets the feeling that grin is never far away. He wears form-fitting brown pants, with a shirt and blue waistcoat. The staff in his hand tells Koz who he is, but he's nothing like he had expected.

He's gorgeous, for one thing.

"You're Jack. North's apprentice."

"I am. And you're Kozmotis Pitchiner, youngest ever captain of the Constellations. You want North to teach you magical defence."

Koz narrows his eyes; is he to battle Jack? Or is Jack going to help him? "And you're on your way to being a galaxy-class wizard. Your speciality is elemental magic."

"Ice magic, to be precise," Jack replies, then grins again; his feet lift off the floor and he crosses his legs, floating in midair. "Wind, too. I have a few more special skills, but they're not exactly PG-13."

Koz raises his eyebrows at the blatant flirting. Something unexpected and not entirely unwanted, but he doesn't have time for it. He needs to get to North's study before his steadily-bleeding leg gives out on him.

He moves to make his way down the corridor, but Jack waves a finger at him.

"Did you really think I was here just to say hello?"

"I hoped so."

"Sorry," Jack says, and a blast of ice knocks Koz off his feet. He lands on his bad leg and his vision greys out around the edges. Clenching his teeth, he rolls away from a second attack and onto his feet.

Jack is _fast_, and Koz knows that his own speed does not compare, especially not wounded and exhausted. He dodges the attacks, but only just and he's slowing. He might be good at beating the odds, but everyone's luck runs out sooner or later.

_Not today._

Guarding and ducking, Koz watches Jack. He's brave, but reckless, arrogant. With his control over the wind he could easily stay out of Koz's reach and finish him from a distance but every attack is close-range. When he uses his magic, his hair flashes to white, his eyes to blue, like the cold is overtaking him. It's an interesting observation though not very useful; it only serves to remind Koz of how attractive he is and that's less than helpful.

Jack skips back, hair and eyes changing back to brown, and he spreads his arms wide. "Is that all you got? Come on!"

Koz stays where he is and waits for Jack's patience to wear thin. It doesn't take long. In seconds Jack comes at him again. Wheeling around him, Koz knocks him to the floor with a punch. Kicking the staff away, he rests a boot on Jack's back. When Jack tries to move, Koz puts the blade of his axe to the side of Jack's neck.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

Jack swears and holds up his hands. "Okay, okay; I yield."

Koz steps back to let him up, watching warily for any sign of attack. Instead Jack's face softens.

"Hey, you're hurt." he's looking at Koz's leg, covered in blood. It's all over the hallway too, bright blooms of red over the wood. Koz knew that the bleeding would get worse when his leg got warmer but this looks like a murder scene.

As the adrenaline ebbs the pain returns, but he clenches his jaw. He can't give up, not yet

Stepping away from Jack, he uses his axe as a crutch and takes shaky steps towards the interior of the building.

"Let me help you," Jack says, and when Koz peers suspiciously at him he holds his hands up. "I was told to fight you but no-one said I couldn't help you if you beat me."

Koz considers, then nods. "That's very sporting of you," he says, leaning on Jack gratefully.

"You just showed me how much training I need," Jack says, looking bashful. "Tell you what – we'll teach each other."

"Deal."

They get to the end of the hallway and take a wooden lift up to a higher level. Even through his exhaustion and pain, Koz can't help but admire the grandeur of the place. It's wide and bright and open, with yetis and elves everywhere, and bright spinning things darting through the air. There are children too, laughing and smiling.

"Jack!" one of them calls and runs over, eyes widening when he sees Koz.

"I gotta help our guest get to North," Jack says. "I'll come say hi later, okay?"

The boy nods, still looking at Koz with wide eyes.

As they pass by, Koz hears him whisper to his friends "Guys, that's Captain Pitchiner!"

"You're already a bit of a legend around here," Jack tells him, reminding Koz with a flash of annoyance that they've known of his arrival long before he did. "When North said you might be coming here, the kids looked you up and were totally impressed by your valiant deeds. They weren't the only ones," he adds with a grin.

"Is that so," Koz says, smiling back. Their eyes meet and there's something there, a moment of connection.

"Ah, Captain!"

Koz looks up to see a man he only recognises from photographs. North is standing in front of a door and Koz feels a moment of despair - will he have to fight North as well? Right now he can barely stand, let alone fight.

"Hello, North."

"Jack, what have you done to our guest?"

"He was like that when he got here. He must have because I couldn't lay a finger on him."

"Hmm," North says thoughtfully, stroking his beard, then without warning swings a sword toward Koz. Koz tries to dodge but his leg gives out on him and he falls to his knees, completely at North's mercy. But then the sword seems to wrench away from him as though it has a mind of its own.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Koz cries.

"Very good!" North says with a laugh, and Koz stares up at him, breathing hard and clutching his leg.

"Are you _insane_?"

"Some might have said so," North laughs again and taps the hilt of his sword. "This is a magic sword; it will only harm those with evil in their hearts. I needed to be sure that you were worthy."

"And if not I'd be minus a head," Koz says, glaring. "That's an interesting test you have there."

"And yet you still have your head," North says with a wide smile, and turns to Jack. "It looks like you have a chance to practice your healing spells, hmm?"

"Uh," Jack says, and glances down at Koz. "Sure."

"I thought I had to step into your office to pass the test," Koz says as Jack helps him to his feet. He doesn't want to be disqualified on a technicality.

"We can bend the rules this once," North says, then adds, "I don't want blood in my office."

Koz narrows his eyes, but – possibly sensing Koz's growing annoyance – Jack speaks up.

"There's an infirmary just down here," he says, and leads him away. By the time they get there Koz's head is swimming.

He sits on the bed gratefully, and Jack looks at him, biting his lip, then grabs a book from the shelf. Koz watches, nonplussed.

"I just want to double check the wording," Jack says, finger skimming over the page. Nodding with a decisiveness that eases Koz's worries a little, Jack puts the book on the bed.

"Okay," he says. "First we need to get it cleaned up." he looks down at Koz's belt and a blush creeps over his cheeks. Despite the pain and how annoyed Koz feels about North's attack, it's quite endearing, especially with how flirtatious Jack's been.

"Let me," Koz says, gesturing at the pair of medical scissors on the counter. Jack hands them over, and Koz gets to work, clenching his teeth as he pulls the material away from the wound. After dropping what remains of the trousers to the floor, he glances at his leg and wishes he hadn't. The whole front of his thigh is a mess.

Jack is staring and swallows thickly. He's pale, but to his credit he gets to work, getting towels and warm water and washing away the blood.

It seems like a futile effort as it instantly starts bleeding again, but Jack picks up his staff, and puts his other hand on Koz's thigh, blood instantly welling up between his fingers. He starts to speak, strange melodious words that seem to fill the room with a golden light. Distantly Koz notices that Jack's hair doesn't change colour when he's not using elemental magic.

The words seep into Koz's skin and he closes his eyes, feeling warmth and contentment fill him.

When the golden warmth fades he sighs, missing it.

His eyes open and he looks down to see that his thigh is completely healed; there's not even a scratch. He looks up to say _thank you_, but the sight of Jack stills the words on his tongue.

There's a soft smile on Jack's lips and he's looking at Koz with wonder in his eyes. The magic is still winding around both of them, and it seems like the most natural thing in the world to lean in and kiss Jack, a thank you of a different kind. Jack responds, his hand tightening on Koz's thigh.

The kiss is warm and lazy and wonderful. Jack tastes of mint and he smells of a fresh winter's day. When he presses closer to Koz, his warmth seems to permeate into Koz's bones, washing away the last of the exhaustion and filling him with contentment.

It feels like this is exactly where they're meant to be: together.

The sound of the door opening breaks into their little bubble and Jack steps back, blinking; both of them look over to see the door swing open, revealing North. He smiles at them and exclaims at the sight of Koz's healed thigh.

"Excellent work, Jack," he says, and claps him on the back with such force that Jack staggers forward. "I couldn't have done better myself."

"Thanks," Jack says, and steals another glance at Koz. He looks like Koz feels – like they've been yanked out of a world where everything is perfect and everything is each other, and reality is an unwelcome intrusion.

North gets a pair of trousers from a closet at the side of the room. They're far too large but Koz is grateful nonetheless.

"No rest for the wicked," North says when Koz is dressed, and with another of those infuriating grins he ushers Koz out of the infirmary. Glancing back to meet Jack's eyes one more time, all Koz wants to do is go back to him.

It's so strange – they've only just met, how can Koz feel so strongly about him already?

North doesn't give him time to wonder; the rest of the afternoon is spent being shown around, being introduced to people and elves and yetis. It's only when Koz is literally about to drop that North shows him to his quarters.

He sinks to the bed and instantly drops into dreams.

Koz wakes face down on the bed and still fully dressed.

Rolling onto his back, he groans at how much he aches. Jack's healing spell did wonders on his thigh but it was obviously a local thing.

The thought of Jack instantly makes him think of the kiss and he stares at the ceiling.

It was – unexpected.

It's not as though Koz has never kissed someone he's only just met before, but there's usually alcohol involved. Even so, he'd normally have second and possibly third thoughts about kissing someone as young as Jack.

And yet, it felt so good, so _right_.

It's either going to make the next month incredibly awkward or incredibly wonderful.

With a sigh, Koz gets up and winces, stretching to try and work the kink out of his back. The first thing he notices is the small desk at the side of the room, covered with piles of books. There's a small note on top of them that says:

_You have a day to recover, so enjoy this reading material!_

_-N_

Koz sighs again and turns to look at his room. There's a closet at one side, filled with a variety of clothes in a startling array of colours. He grabs something black to change into and pushes the brighter things aside; he's never been a fan of bright colours.

There's a bathroom at the other side of the room, and soon he is lying in a lavender-scented bath, sighing happily as the heat eases all his aches.

By the time he gets out, he is feeling almost like himself again. He picks up one of the books and settles down in the chair to start reading.

It's fascinating stuff; as someone who's never read seriously about magic before, he's always thought of it as esoteric, beyond the understanding of someone who can't use it. This book lays things out scientifically, and he's starting to see how ever a non-magic user will be able to use simple protection spells.

He's so caught up in reading that he when there is a knock at the door, it's almost like being pulled out of a deep sleep.

When he opens the door, it still feels like a dream. Jack stands there, looking nervous. He's even biting his lip and he looks both adorable and gorgeous. Koz just looks at him for a long moment, taking in all the details he missed before - the freckles, the shape of his lips - and wants to kiss him again.

"Can I come in?" Jack's voice is soft and slightly hesitant.

"Of course."

Koz lets him in and Jack goes to the desk, leaning against it and drumming his fingers on the surface.

"So I feel like - like I need to apologise."

"For fighting me? You were only-"

"No. For the healing spell."

Koz blinks at him. "I don't understand. It worked wonderfully."

"Yeah, but-" he sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "The spell is a pretty strong one. It's designed for situations where the patient has had traumatic injury and- Well, to help the patient relax and help them trust the healer, it strengthens the bond between them. And I guess that's what happened with us."

"Oh."

That would explain things. It feels a little like he's been manipulated, but Jack looks so wretched that Koz doesn't have the heart to be angry with him. It wasn't on purpose, and really, it wasn't so terrible. Koz was attracted to him at first sight; he might never have acted on that if it wasn't for the spell.

"You said it strengthens the bond that's already there," Koz says softly. "We obviously already felt that way."

"I did," Jack says with a nervous smile. "I mean, I was kind of fascinated by you anyway, and then I saw you in person and I-" a blush springs to his cheeks and gives a self-deprecating laugh, rubbing the back of his neck and grinning. "Well, I thought you were kinda hot."

"And I thought you were adorable," Koz says, and walks over to run his thumb over Jack's freckles. Jack's grin widens, growing more confident.

"Do you think we could try the whole kissing thing again, maybe?"

"I think we could," Koz says, and leans down to press their lips together. This time it's less automatic than before, but it feels every bit as natural. Jack's lips are soft, and the kiss is sweet, and Koz can't help but think, _this is the start of something special._

When he pulls back and sees Jack's beautiful smile, he's even more certain.

"So, that sure looks like a comfortable bed you've got there," Jack says, and his forthrightness makes Koz laugh.

"It does, doesn't it?"

Jack takes his hands and leads him over to the bed, pushing him down onto it and clambering onto him for the kind of make-out session Koz hasn't had since he was a teenager himself.

When he pulls back this time, both of them are breathless. Jack bites his lip and then nestles his head in the crook of Koz's shoulder. Koz runs his fingers through Jack's hair and smiles.

Less than twenty-four hours ago, Koz was furious at being forced to come to the North Pole; now he's wondering if it might be one of the best things to ever happen to him.

He's looking forward to finding out.


End file.
